Novellist Retired To Japanese Stud

Thursday, 17 October 2013 22:15

Record-breaking King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Novellist has been retired and will stand at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stud in Japan.

Trained by Andreas Wohler, Novellist was denied the chance to run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when he spiked a temperature on the morning before the race.

He won three other Group Ones in an 11-race career and his owner Dr Christoph Berglar explained why he chose to sell him to Japan.

"Since 2011, the centre of my breeding activities has been in Kentucky, where our family is running Stonereath Stud, and we contemplated standing him ourselves in the United States," Berglar told thoroughbreddailynews.com.

"However, as a stayer and turf horse, and with 75 per cent of all races in the US run over shorter distances and on dirt, Novellist would have had limited opportunities to succeed in that environment.

"A few established European farms were interested, but it became obvious that European valuations of the horse as a breeding prospect were certainly far removed from the Japanese offer we received.

"Novellist will be an interesting addition to the Japanese thoroughbred gene pool and should have a fair chance that he will be as successful a stallion as he was a racehorse."

War Command Wins Dewhurst Battle

Saturday, 12 October 2013 23:45

War Command has given Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien a belated first two-year-old Group One win of the season, lifting the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

However, it was a workmanlike rather than an impressive victory for the Coventry Stakes winner.

War Command, the 10-11 favourite, was hard ridden by Joseph O'Brien to hold 20-1 shot Cable Bay by a length and a quarter.

"The ground was plenty slow for him," Joseph O'Brien said.

"When he got to the front he was idling like mad.

"He was waiting for a horse to come to him but did enough. I think he's getting more professional with each race.

"He's definitely a Guineas type. I think he will have no trouble getting a mile and I think the faster the ground, the better he will be."

His father said the ground had been a concern and War Command was now finished for the year and would be prepared for next season's big races.

"I'm delighted with the horse as I was very worried about the ground," he said.

"He's a good-actioned horse and when it was very quick at Ascot, that was what he wanted.

"There is only one Dewhurst and we had to get him out. I'd say he's done for the year now and I think he'll get a mile (1600m) next season."

Darley's Reckless Abandon Retires To Stud

Tuesday, 15 October 2013 00:15

Last year's top two-year-old Reckless Abandon has been retired to stand at Darley's Kildangan Stud in 2014.

Trained by Clive Cox, Reckless Abandon won all five starts at two including the Norfolk at Royal Ascot, the Prix Robert Papin and then at Group One level in both the Prix Morny and the Middle Park Stakes.

It was decided he would head for a sprinting campaign rather than the Guineas, and he competed with honours against more hardened competitors in the Temple Stakes and King's Stand, winding up with a fifth in the Prix de l'Abbaye.

Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions told their website: "Reckless Abandon was an unbeaten champion two-year-old, a brilliant sprinter and he has the physique to match.

"He's an attractive, strong young stallion and is very likely to sire precocity. We are thrilled to have him join the Darley roster for 2014 and have no doubt that he will be very popular with breeders."

His fee will be set at a later date.

Scatter Dice A Surprise Cesarewitch Winner

Saturday, 12 October 2013 22:30

Scatter Dice has recovered from a being left at the start to score a shock win in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket.

The Mark Johnston-trained filly was slowly out of the stalls and emerged 10 lengths behind the rest but made up the ground to take the ultra-competitive marathon handicap over 3800m.

While Scatter Dice (66-1) was well behind, up front Merchant Of Dubai, Albert Bridge and Sohar cut out the running until the race gathered momentum from four furlongs (800m) out.

Silvestre de Sousa brought Scatter Dice wide to make her challenge and she stormed home to win by three lengths from Waterclock.

"She's had a long, hard season but has run well on so many occasions," Johnston said.

"She's going to retire at the end of the year, that was the plan anyway, so I suppose this was her last chance.

"She's run a couple of strange races recently, dropping herself out, so I was a bit concerned in the first half of the race that she was all right but then I saw her hanging in with the pack. I saw her coming from a quite a long way out."

Trainer Marco Botti and jockey Martin Harley enjoyed their biggest success since officially teaming up when Al Thakhira (5-1) ran out a convincing winner of the Group Two Rockfel Stakes.

Once Harley pressed the button, Al Thakhira went clear to score by three and a quarter lengths from Blockade with Valonia third and the odds-on favourite Lightning Thunder only fourth.

"She won her maiden at Yarmouth and we thought quite a lot of her, but with stepping up to seven furlongs, the question was whether she would get the trip," said Botti.

"The owner is keen to go to the Breeders' Cup. We will see how she comes out of the race and we won't rule it out, but it could be premature."

Aidan O'Brien Reveals Ascot Plan Of Attack

Monday, 14 October 2013 23:59

Aidan O'Brien could rely on either Kingsbarns or Ruler Of The World in Saturday's Champion Stakes at Ascot after admitting to fears about ground conditions for both Declaration Of War and Magician.

The Ballydoyle handler left the quartet of runners in this weekend's 10-furlong Group One at Monday's confirmation stage, with Kingsbarns, Declaration Of War and Magician also among the entries for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on the same card.

However, with ground conditions at Ascot looking certain to be on the easy side, Declaration Of War could be saved for a trip to the Breeders' Cup meeting in California next month.

Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Magician, not seen since finishing last in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, also looks likely to miss Champions Day.

Speaking at Limerick on Monday afternoon, O'Brien told At The Races: "Declaration Of War could maybe struggle to run, because if the ground is not good or better he won't run.

"If he doesn't run, he'll probably go straight to the (Breeders' Cup) Classic.

"Magician is a little bit the same, he wants real good ground as well.

"Ruler Of The World and Kingsbarns are in and both of those have form with ease in the ground, so maybe they'll run if the rain keeps coming as it is.

"He's (Kingsbarns) in the Queen Elizabeth and he's in the Champion and Ruler Of The World is only in the Champion.

"Whether the two of them will run in one or they'll split up, I'm not sure."

Camelot In Frame For Breeders' Cup Mission

Thursday, 10 October 2013 23:59

Camelot could use the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week as a springboard towards the Breeders' Cup meeting in November.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien is also considering a race on the Dundalk all-weather as the four-year-old former three-time Classic winner edges closer to his protracted return to the track.

"We have one eye on the Breeders' Cup, he's a horse that needs good ground," O'Brien said.

"Conditions would normally suit him in America."

Camelot has been cautiously campaigned since he suffered colic last autumn.

He has not been sighted since finishing fourth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Camelot Retired Ahead Of Breeders' Cup

Monday, 14 October 2013 13:30

Double classic winner Camelot has been retired from horse racing after getting injured in training for next month's Breeders' Cup Turf in the US.

The Ireland-based Coolmore stable said in a statement released on Monday that last year's 2000 Guineas and English Derby champion "was found to be lame pulling out this morning", meaning he wouldn't have been able to stay in training for the November 2 race at Santa Anita.

Camelot became only the third horse since Nijinsky in 1970 to achieve the Guineas-Derby double, but lost out narrowly to Encke in the St Leger in his bid to win the Triple Crown of English classics in 2012.

Camelot has struggled since then, winning just one of three starts this season after failing to recover fully from a bad bout of colic.

Martin Dwyer Successful In BHA Application

Thursday, 10 October 2013 02:30

Martin Dwyer has succeeded in his application to the British Horseracing Authority not reciprocate the 56-day ban he was handed in India following a ride in February this year.

The decision not to impose the Indian suspension brings to a close a sequence of events which at one stage saw Dwyer have his ban increased to eight months on an initial appeal.

However, that sentence reverted to 56 days on a second appeal to the Indian authorities last month and the disciplinary panel of the BHA has now agreed not to impose the ban at all in Britain.

Soft Ground Expected At Ascot

Monday, 14 October 2013 00:59

Ground conditions are expected to be on the soft side for the showpiece British Champions day at Ascot on Saturday.

Bookmakers have reacted by firming French star and wet track specialist Cirrus Des Aigles from 9-4 to 7-4 for the Champion Stakes.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels described the going as good to soft, soft in places after he walked the track on Sunday.

The course has already absorbed 16mm of rain since Thursday and the forecast for the week is an unsettled one.

"It's a mixture of good to soft and soft today. We've had eight millimetres so far and it's still raining at the minute," Stickels said.

"It's a bit of an unsettled forecast for the week.

"It's a bit early to be sure yet, but it looks like showers are due next weekend again."

The prospect of soft ground is not good news for Aidan O'Brien who may now have to reroute Declaration Of War to the Breeders' Cup.

"The horse who won at Dundalk on Friday night (Giovanni Boldini) could go for the Breeders' Cup, and he's still in the Racing Post Trophy," O'Brien said.

"Australia is finished and most of the rest of them are finished now.

"Declaration Of War will run in one of the two races next week if the ground is good, otherwise he will go to America.

"Darwin could drop back six furlongs next week, we have Camelot in there and Kingsbarns in there too."

Joseph O'Brien Sets New Irish Record

Wednesday, 09 October 2013 22:15

Joseph O'Brien broke a 20-year old Irish record at Navan on Wednesday with the final leg of a treble bringing up his 117th winner of the season to consign the previous best set by Mick Kinane to the history books.

O'Brien, champion jockey last season with 87 winners, equalled the previous record of 115 which Kinane set in 1993, the year O'Brien was born, on his father Aidan's Sardinia in the October Maiden.

Just some 30 minutes later the record fell when Marvellous swooped late to win a maiden and O'Brien later teamed up with Denis Cullen to win on Dysios.

"I'm not sure if it's any more difficult for me than any of the other lads trying to do weight, but I have been very lucky to have some really nice horses to ride," O'Brien said.

"The horses have been running very well all year and I've had plenty of support from the owners in Ballydoyle as well as from all the other trainers who have supported me.

"At the start of the season I was hoping to ride 100 winners and I am delighted to break the record."

His father said he was proud given his son struggles to ride at nine stone (57kg).

"Everyone knows it's not easy for him to do 9 stone and it's a great achievement to break the record," he said.

"Mick rode an incredible amount of Group Ones for us and what can you say about Mick - he has done it all. It's hard to believe it was 20 years ago when Mick set the record.

"Joseph was only born that year which makes me feel very old."

Kinane was full of praise for O'Brien and philosophical about his record being taken away from him.

"Records are there to be broken," he said.

"I'm delighted for Joseph, he's one of a very good crop of young riders in Ireland at the moment.

"It's a great achievement for him and more so because of his weight problems."